Niagara UM Church
1775 Niagara Stone Road L0S 1J0 Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, Canada

Attention families with little ones! If you'd like to worship with us in the sanctuary on a Sunday morning, but need some help containing all that energy, the church has high chairs that can be placed in the sanctuary so your little one has their very own special seat. Contact the church office to make arrangements. We'd love to see you there!

November 29 ~ First Advent: On the road to Readiness (Online) What does readiness look like? How might we prepare ourselves to receive the One sent to save us? May our heart's desire be to make space to receive the gift God has sent. November 29 ~ First Advent: German Service (In Person & Online)... Der Heiland kommt zu uns! Wir zünden die erste Adventskerze an, u. feiern das heilige Abendmahl *** All are welcome as we journey on the road to Christmas! For upcoming service descriptions, as well as more details on how to attend or watch online, please visit www.redbrickchurch.ca/Christmas

Virtual Book Launch: Join Ray Friesen, former pastor and lifelong believing skeptic, as he reflects on his own wilderness experiences alongside Dr. Brené Brown’s Wholehearted living research and the stories and teachings found in the Bible. From those reflections he offers an ancient biblical pathway for our own desert pilgrimage. Date: Thursday, Nov. 12 Time: 7:00 p.m. Register at www.commonword.ca/go/2159 to receive the Zoom link you will need.

Join us at 10:00 AM this Peace Sunday as we learn to Remember and Respond. To find out more about joining in person or online, please visit www.redbrickchurch.ca

You're invited to join us for Sunday morning worship in our sanctuary this November: November 1 at 10:00am - German service November 8 at 10:00am - *Peace Sunday* English service November 15 at 10:00am - German service... November 22 at 10:00am - *Eternity Sunday* English service November 29 at 10:00am - *First Advent* German service ***Please register for in-person services at http://onrealm.org/ or contact the church office.*** Online services will continue for those that feel more comfortable joining us from home. For a more indepth look at the reopening guidelines, please visit: https://redbrickchurch.ca/pastors-armchair/

All are welcome as we journey on the road to Christmas! For service descriptions, as well as more details on how to attend or watch online, please visit www.redbrickchurch.ca/Christmas

Thanks for a thought-provoking sermon today, Pastor Chris! And for sharing an update from our youth too. That was so great! Brooklynn was happy to see you too... :)

Hey NUMC! We are looking for someone who has patience and is comfortable on a ladder to help with our Christmas tree lights. We have a large Christmas tree on the stage that is pre-lit, but it's a bit of a puzzle to get all the lights connected. Anyone interested? Call Emily at the office at 905-468-3313 or email [email protected]

Congratulations to Hans H. Dau & Ingrid Dau who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on October 15, 2020. Their family thanks God for His love and faithfulness through all the years.

On Eternity Sunday, we remember those who have gone before us. Here is the slideshow from our service this morning.

This Sunday, November 22, we remember those we have lost this past year. Eternal God, thank you for the things that do not end: the wind swirling around the globe,... the sea rocking back and forth in its seabed, the sun rising and setting as we spin through space. Thank you for all the transient things we know; the frost on the window, the clouds in their majestic sailing beauty, the grass that flourishes for a season and withers, our own breath. All this from your hands. On this Eternity Sunday we come with grieving hearts, for some of us are missing loved ones. We feel the ache of love unanchored, of words we can no longer speak, of arms we can no longer embrace. We turn to you in trust that you are the keeper of souls. Hold our dear ones safe, and give to us the assurance of life unseen, and memories that comfort. Keep alive the love we shared, and multiply it. Give us love for the whole earth, every part of it, love which we cannot contain, but which can flow through us, in mysterious and wonderful ways. Help us this week to be channels of your love: where there is injury, let us bring healing, where there is want, help us share, where there is injustice, solidarity, where there is despair, hope. You hear the concerns of our community, and we lift up especially Those who have lost loved ones. We pray all this to you, Lord of Life, knowing that you can grant us all rest, eternal rest. You grant us rest. ~ Carol Penner (reference: https://carolpenner.typepad.com//church-year-eternity-sun/)

In praise and thanksgiving for 102 years, today, October 15. Peter Dirks sends his warm wishes to the congregation and is looking forward to greeting you when we can all meet again.

Stumbling Towards Thanksgiving: Congregational Pandemic Prayer by Carol Penner God, in this hard year, we’re stumbling towards Thanksgiving. There has been lots to trip us up;... a pandemic, economic meltdowns, social isolation, injustice on so many fronts: # BlackLivesMatter, # MeToo, and the ongoing call for justice for indigenous peoples. Not to mention hurricanes, forest fires and climate change and this is not even including the everyday sorrows that haven’t let up for one minute! We wouldn’t wish this year on anyone! And so on this Thanksgiving, we stumble on the words, and we need to take some deep breaths now to pause and consider what we are thankful for [ pause ] We do have things to be thankful for. Thank you for life, for bringing us here this far. Thank you for those who have sacrificed to help others; health care and essential workers, teachers, and everyone who has toiled overtime to make a difference. Thank you for your provision; the good earth has yielded up its bounty, and there is food in grocery stores, even if we sometimes do have to line up for it. Thank you that this fall season still delights: the taste of the crisp delicious apple, the gold of grain pouring out of the combine, the fragrance of the damp leaves, the sound of geese honking their way south, the feel of cool wind and the sun still warm on our skin. God of hope, we need your help to get through the coming year. Help us find a vaccine: we need it soon, we need it for everyone, and we need it to work. In the meantime, help our communities pull together; forgive us when we are irritated and judgmental of the choices other people are making. Give us all patience as we wash our hands for the millionth time, as we mask up, as we make hard choices not to mingle and socialize in person. On this Thanksgiving day, we set our eyes on Christmas, The world is waiting desperately for an angelic message of good tidings of great joy for all people. We are waiting for you to be born again, born again in this pandemic year, born again in our hearts, in our world. We know you are coming, and so on Thanksgiving we pray with thanksgiving, in Jesus’s name, Amen https://carolpenner.typepad.com//stumbling-towards-thanksg

We can not worship in person this year, but excited to let you know about Infinitely More and their live stream concerts. Airing live on: www.Facebook.com/InfinitelyMoreBand www.Youtube.com/InfinitelyMoreBand

It is with sadness we announce the passing of Hertha Neumann. A private family funeral will take place Tuesday October 6, 2020.https://tallmanfuneralhomes.ca//Hertha-Neum/obituary.html

It is with sadness we announce the passing of Irma Epp. A private family graveside funeral took place on Tuesday September 29, 2020. https://tallmanfuneralhomes.ca//88/Irma-Epp/obituary.html

Give Thanks! What are you grateful for? Contribute to our Thanksgiving Community Connection! Submissions can be in any of the following formats:... * 1-3 photos * 7-10 second video * 1-3 sentences Please send your submissions to [email protected] by October 1st. Image Description: fall leaves ranging from green to red strung along a hemp twine

You're invited to join us for Sunday morning worship in our sanctuary this October: October 4 at 10:00am - German Service October 11 at 10:00am - *Thanksgiving* English service October 18 at 10:00am - German service... October 24 at 10:00am - English service ***Please register for in-person services at http://onrealm.org/ or contact the church office.*** Online services will continue for those that feel more comfortable joining us from home. Check out the beginning announcements of this service for what to expect when you arrive: https://redbrickchurch.ca/.../august-30-2020-what.../ For a more indepth look at the reopening guidelines, please visit: https://redbrickchurch.ca/pastors-armchair/

Here's the prayer from our Children's Story this morning. Do you have a prayer that has stuck with you from childhood?